The undefeated Carolina Panthers can clinch a first-round playoff bye as soon as this Sunday.
The Panthers have already secured the NFC South title and a playoff spot, and can clinch one of the top two seeds with either a win or tie against the Atlanta Falcons, or a combination of a loss or tie by both the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers.
The Panthers are 12-0 and only one team in the NFC — the Arizona Cardinals at 10-2 — has fewer than four losses.
The NFL on Wednesday released the clinching scenarios for this week.
The Panthers, Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots and Denver Broncos can each secure something this week.
The Cardinals can clinch the NFC West title with a win over the Vikings on Thursday night and a Seattle Seahawks loss or tie on Sunday, or a tie and a Seahawks loss. The Cardinals can clinch at least a playoff spot with a win or a tie, or combinations of losses or ties by the Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Bengals can clinch the North division title with a win or a tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and can secure a playoff berth with a loss by either the New York Jets or Kansas City Chiefs.
The Patriots can clinch the AFC East with a win over the Houston Texans and a Jets loss or tie, and can lock up a playoff berth with a win or losses by the Steelers and Jets, or a tie and a Chiefs loss.
The Broncos can clinch the AFC West title with a win over the Oakland Raiders and a Chiefs loss or tie, or a tie and a Chiefs loss. The Broncos can also wrap up their playoff spot with a win and losses or ties by the Jets or Chiefs.
2015 NFL PLAYOFF SCENARIOS FOR WEEK 14
CINCINNATI BENGALS (vs. Pittsburgh, Sunday)
Cincinnati clinches AFC North division with:
1) CIN win or tie
Cincinnati clinches a playoff spot with:
1) NYJ loss OR
2) KC loss
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (at Houston, Sunday)
New England clinches AFC East division with:
1) NE win plus NE clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over NYJ OR
2) NE win plus NYJ loss or tie OR
3) NE tie plus NYJ loss OR
4) NE tie plus NYJ tie plus NE clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over NYJ OR
5) NYJ loss plus NE clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker over NYJ
(Note: New England clinches at least a tie in strength of victory tiebreaker in scenarios 1, 4 and 5 if two of the following occur: BUF win, PIT win, MIA loss, CLE loss)
New England clinches a playoff spot with:
1) NE win OR
2) PIT loss OR
3) NYJ loss OR
4) NE tie plus KC loss OR
5) NE tie plus PIT tie OR
6) NE tie plus NYJ tie
DENVER BRONCOS (vs. Oakland, Sunday)
Denver clinches AFC West division with:
1) DEN win plus KC loss or tie OR
2) DEN tie plus KC loss
Denver clinches a playoff spot with:
1) DEN win plus NYJ loss or tie OR
2) DEN win plus PIT loss or tie OR
3) DEN tie plus NYJ loss OR
4) DEN tie plus PIT loss
CLINCHED: Carolina — NFC South
CAROLINA PANTHERS (vs. Atlanta, Sunday)
Carolina clinches a first-round bye with:
1) CAR win or tie OR
2) MIN loss or tie plus GB loss or tie
ARIZONA CARDINALS (vs. Minnesota, Thursday)
Arizona clinches NFC West division with:
1) ARI win plus SEA loss or tie OR
2) ARI tie plus SEA loss
Arizona clinches a playoff spot with:
1) ARI win or tie OR
2) TB loss or tie plus ATL loss or tie OR
3) TB loss or tie plus GB win or tie